Match-box.



` PATENTE-D 00T. 6, 190s. B. P. DANIELS.

MATCH B0X. APPLIUATION FILED JULY 20, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented october e, 190s.

PATENT Ormes.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATlON forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,541, 'dated October 6, 1903.

Application tiled July 20, 1903. Serial No. 166.322. (No model.)

To all whom t nir/ay conceive:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. DANIELS, of Nogales, in the county of Santa Cruz and Territory of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match- Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains t make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in match-boxes, the object of the invention being to provide an improved match-box which will protect the matches from rats and mice and which will deliver the'matches one at a ime, preventing persons from robbing the With this object in .view the invention con-` siste in certain novel features of construction' and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in vertical section, illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a view of the match-receptacle removed, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of ring 6.

l represents the base-block of my improvements having a central cylindrical pocket 2, and a top block 3 is secured to base-block 1 by means of screws 4 and has a central opening therein above pocket 2,said opening in top block 3 being slightly contracted or smaller at its upper portion to provide an annular shoulder E.l In this opening in top block 3 a ring 6 is located, said ring having an annular flange 7 at its lower edge located beneath shoulder 5 to prevent the accidental removal of the ring, the upper edge of said ring being preferably enlarged and' rounded, as shown. My improved match-receptacle 8 is located vertically in said ring 6 and comprises a metal cylinder made with an annular bead 111 at its lower edge to engage the flanged lower end of ring 6 and limit the upward movement of the receptacle 8. A truncated conical open top 9 and a flat bottom 10 are provided on said receptacle 8, and said dat bottom has a central opening through which a conical matchsupporting platform 11 projects, which latter is made with a central opening of just suiiicient size to accommodate a plunger or ejector 12. This plunger or ejector 12 comprises a'vertical rod secured in base -block 1 and having its upper end located in the opening in platform 1l andsubstantially flush therewith to permit the end of a match to be fed down the platform 11 and rest on top of plunger or ejector 12.

A coiled spring 13 is located in pocket 2 around plungeror ejector l2, and the matchreceptacle 8 rests thereon and is held with its bead 14 against ring 6 to hold the receptacle in'position to properly set the plunger or ejector 12.

The operation of Amy improvements isas follows: Matches are located in receptacle 8 ,with their heads up and unless the receptacle is full will rest in an inclined position, one of said matches necessarily being fed to the lowest central point of conical platform 11 with its lower end resting on the upper end of plunger or ejector l2.' The operator grasps receptacle 8, forcing it downward, and as the match resting on plunger or ejector 12 cannot move downward it will be guided to the central opening in the top 9 by reason of the inclined or sloping wall of said top and be projected through the opening therein in position to be grasped and removed. When receptacle 8 is released, spring 13 will return it to its set position, and another match will be fed by conical platform 11 down to the lowest extreme thereof and rest on plunger or ejector 12, to be ejected when the matchreceptacle 8 is again depressed. It will thus be seen that only one match can be secured at a time, and hence the receptacle cannot be robbed, and that the matches are inclosed to such an extent that rats and mice cannot get at them. Further, by reason of the enlarged base-block 1 the liability of upsetting the match-box is reduced to a minimum.

y improvements are neat and attractive in appearance, cheap to manufacture, and perfect in operation.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described Without departing from my invention, and hence l would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty IOO to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a match-box, the combination with a base having a pocket therein, of a ring in said pocket having an inwardly-projecting flange at its lower end, a match-receptacle located in the ring and having open conical bottom and top, an outwardly-projecting flange at the lower end of the receptacle, engaging the inwardly-projecting flange at the lower end of the ring, a fixed plunger or ejector in the pocket projecting into the conical bottom of the receptacle and adapted `to force a match through the conical open top when the receptacle is depressed, and a spring to hold the receptacle in normal position.

2. In a matchbox, the combination with a base-block having a pocket therein, a top block secured to the base-block and having a Hotel low the shoulder of the top block, a matchy receptacle having a conical open top, a flat open bottom, and a conical open match-supporting platform projecting through the flat bottom, an annular flange at the lower end of the receptacle, a fixed plunger or ejector in the pocket havingits upper end located in the open conical match-supporting platform to receive the end of a match thereon, and a coiled spring in the pocket bearing against the receptacle to normally hold the annular bead on the receptacle against the flanged lower end of the ring.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. j

BENJAMIN F. DANIELS.

Witnesses:

S. G. NOTTINGHAM, S.W. FOSTER- 

